AMD PRO A12-8870E vs Intel Core i3-6100 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clean sweep for the AMD PRO A12-8870E across every shared benchmark in the database. The Intel Core i3-6100 does not manage a single win in the five tests where both processors have recorded scores, leaving the AMD part with a 5-0 advantage in direct comparisons.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD PRO A12-8870E scores 257 against 224 for the Intel Core i3-6100, a delta of 12.8 percent in AMD's favor. That gap widens slightly in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the AMD part posts 1074 versus 934, a 13 percent advantage. The trend continues in Cinebench R23 multicore, with AMD at 2558 and Intel at 2226, again 13 percent apart.

Single-core results tell a similar story, which is notable given the Intel part's higher base clock. The AMD PRO A12-8870E reaches 151 in Cinebench R20 single-core against 131 for the i3-6100, a 13.2 percent lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD scores 361 versus 314, a 13 percent margin. The consistency of these deltas, all hovering near 13 percent, suggests the AMD part's architectural efficiency compensates for its lower base frequency of 2.90 GHz compared to 3.70 GHz on the Intel chip.

The Intel Core i3-6100 does hold a separate set of Geekbench results in the database, with a multicore score of 1605 and a single-core score of 785, but no comparable Geekbench data exists for the AMD PRO A12-8870E, so those cannot be used for a direct head-to-head comparison. The average benchmark score for the Intel part is 888, while the AMD part averages 880, a difference of less than 1 percent when accounting for all recorded tests in the database.

The Intel Core i3-6100 sits at the 24th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the AMD PRO A12-8870E sits at the 23rd percentile. Those near-identical percentile ranks underscore how close these two parts are in overall standing, even as the direct Cinebench comparisons favor AMD.

Nearest rival data reinforces the mid-pack positioning of both chips. The Intel Core i3-6100 is bracketed by the Intel Xeon X5550 at an identical average score of 888, the Intel Pentium G4560T at 887 with a 0.1 percent delta, the AMD PRO A8-8650B at 887 with a 0.2 percent delta, and the Intel Core i7-860 at 886 with a 0.2 percent delta. The AMD PRO A12-8870E, meanwhile, is matched by the AMD Ryzen 3 2300U at 880, with the Intel Core i3-1000NG4 and AMD Phenom II X6 1035T both at 881 with negative 0.1 percent deltas, and the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U also at 881 with a negative 0.2 percent delta. Both processors occupy a crowded performance tier where small score differences translate into negligible ranking shifts.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The AMD PRO A12-8870E wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests in the database. It scores 257 versus 224 in Cinebench R15, 1074 versus 934 in Cinebench R20, and 2558 versus 2226 in Cinebench R23, with deltas of 12.8 to 13 percent in each case.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-6100 win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows zero wins for the Intel Core i3-6100 and five wins for the AMD PRO A12-8870E across all shared tests.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i3-6100 has an average benchmark score of 888, while the AMD PRO A12-8870E has an average of 880. That puts the Intel part ahead by less than 1 percent in overall average, despite losing every direct head-to-head test.

Q: Which CPU has the higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i3-6100 has a base clock of 3.70 GHz, while the AMD PRO A12-8870E has a base clock of 2.90 GHz. The AMD part also has a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, while the Intel part has no boost clock listed.

Q: What are their percentile rankings among all CPUs in the database?

A: The Intel Core i3-6100 ranks at the 24th percentile, and the AMD PRO A12-8870E ranks at the 23rd percentile. These are effectively equivalent positions in the overall distribution.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: Yes, both support DDR4 memory with dual-channel memory buses. The AMD PRO A12-8870E lists a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Intel Core i3-6100 lists 34.1 GB/s.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD PRO A12-8870E is the clear choice for Cinebench-style rendering workloads. Its four physical cores, even at a lower base clock, deliver consistent 13 percent advantages over the Intel Core i3-6100 in every shared multi-core test. For users running Cinebench R15, R20, or R23, the AMD part is simply faster, period. The single-core wins in Cinebench R20 and R23 also go to AMD, with margins of 13.2 percent and 13 percent respectively, so the Intel chip does not even retain an edge in single-threaded rendering tasks despite its 3.70 GHz base clock.

The Intel Core i3-6100, lacking any wins in the shared tests, still holds a marginal lead in average benchmark score at 888 against 880, a 0.9 percent difference. That is not a workload-specific advantage, it is a quirk of the database's averaging method, where the AMD part has no Geekbench scores recorded, and the Intel part's Geekbench multicore result of 1605 and single-core score of 785 inflates its average relative to the AMD chip. A user focused purely on the five directly comparable tests should favor AMD.

For general desktop productivity, the database does not offer enough evidence to call a winner in tasks outside Cinebench. The Intel part has Geekbench results that the AMD part lacks, but without a direct Geekbench comparison, those numbers stand alone. The AMD part's four cores and 2 MB of L2 cache suggest an advantage in heavily threaded workloads beyond rendering, but the recorded data only proves that advantage in Cinebench specifically.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in core count, clock speeds, thermal design power, socket, process node, cache configuration, and integrated graphics. The AMD PRO A12-8870E has four cores and four threads, while the Intel Core i3-6100 has two cores and four threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. The Intel part runs at a fixed 3.70 GHz base clock with no boost clock listed, while the AMD part runs at 2.90 GHz base and boosts to 3.70 GHz.

Thermal design power differs substantially: the Intel Core i3-6100 is rated at 51 watts, while the AMD PRO A12-8870E is rated at 35 watts. That makes the AMD part the lower-power option despite having twice the physical core count. The sockets are incompatible, with Intel using Socket 1151 and AMD using Socket AM4.

Cache layouts are fundamentally different. The Intel Core i3-6100 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD PRO A12-8870E has 320 KB of total L1 cache, 2 MB of L2 cache, and no L3 cache at all. The Intel part's 4 MB L3 is a significant advantage for workloads that benefit from a shared last-level cache, though the direct benchmark results do not show that advantage translating into wins.

Memory bandwidth favors the AMD part, with 38.4 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s for Intel, even though both use dual-channel DDR4. The integrated graphics differ as well: Intel includes HD 530 graphics, while AMD includes Radeon R7 graphics. Both processors lack ECC memory support and both have locked multipliers. The Intel part uses Gen 3 PCIe with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD part lists Gen 3 PCIe without specifying lane count.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i3-6100 is built on the Skylake architecture using a 14 nm process at Intel's own foundry, with 1,400 million transistors on a 150 mm² die. The AMD PRO A12-8870E uses the Excavator architecture, codenamed Carrizo, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die. The difference in process node is stark: 14 nm versus 28 nm. Despite the larger, denser AMD die, the AMD part consumes less power (35 watts versus 51 watts) and delivers higher Cinebench scores, while the Intel part relies on a smaller die and a more advanced process to achieve its results.

The cache hierarchy reflects the architectural divergence. Intel's Skylake uses a per-core L1 and L2 configuration with a shared 4 MB L3 cache, a classic modern desktop design. AMD's Excavator uses a unified 320 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 with no L3, an older design that predates the Zen architecture. The absence of L3 cache on the AMD part is notable, yet the AMD chip still outperforms Intel in all shared tests, suggesting the Excavator core design's efficiency at lower clocks offsets the cache disadvantage.

The manufacturing approach differs at the foundry level. Intel fabricates the i3-6100 in-house on 14 nm, while AMD outsources the A12-8870E to GlobalFoundries on 28 nm. The transistor counts reflect the process difference: AMD packs 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die, while Intel fits 1,400 million on 150 mm². The AMD die is 66.7 percent larger by area and holds more than twice the transistor count.

The release dates differ as well. The Intel Core i3-6100 has a recorded release date of August 31, 2015, while the AMD PRO A12-8870E has no release date listed in the database. Both parts remain marked as Active in production status, and both target the desktop market segment. The AMD part carries the Carrizo codename and belongs to the A12 generation, while the Intel part belongs to the Core i3 Skylake generation. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not an option for either chip based on the recorded specifications.